Young defense concerned jurors are talking about case

Wake County Public Defender Bryan Collins, who is representing Jason Young, told Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens that he discovered postings to an Internet message board from two users purporting to have been among the pool of potential jurors.

According to the thread, one of the users was dismissed during the jury selection process, but the second user was selected as a juror.

Stephens said he would address the matter after attorneys finish choosing the jury.

So far, 10 jurors have been seated.

Young, 37, is charged with first-degree murder in the Nov. 3, 2006, beating death of 29-year-old Michelle Young, who was found on the floor of a bedroom in the couple's Wake County home.

He was charged in December 2009 and initially went to trial in June. Stephens, however, declared a mistrial after jurors couldn't reach a unanimous verdict.

Testifying during his trial, Young denied any involvement in the crime, saying he was out of town when it happened.

Opening statements in the retrial are scheduled to begin Feb. 6, and attorneys estimate that testimony could last up to six weeks.